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Personally, I thought the movie "Stuart Little" was both an unnecessary change to the classic story that did NOT include adoption, and a terrible representation of adoption - but obviously, someone thought it was terrific enough to create a sequel. The movie "Problem Child" included one of my favorite movie quotes, "He's not a real boy, he's adopted," so obviously that didn't get high marks in my book either - and again, others thought it was so great that it deserved not one but two sequels. So much for my opinion.
We all know that adoption can provide filmmakers with great moments of high drama when shown in extremes - from tear jerkers to slapstick comedies - but when movies have a good solid G rating, should we expect a better understanding from film studios? Do we always need to review every film ahead of time to make sure we are prepared to answer our kids' questions? And if film studios continue not to get it right, is there something we can do? should do?
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Nancy, have you seen "Flirting With Disaster"? If so, do you have an opinion on that movie?
I saw it this past weekend on HBO, and I have to admitas un-PC, and stereotypical as it was, I could not stop laughingŅit was just to funnyat least to me.
I think the film and Television industry has a habit of both glorifying and dramatizing everything. Simple every day things are typically over romanticized, June Cleverized, or so dramatizing, that most everything on TV and film is unreal.
The thing with TV and Film is people want to see things that donŒt go on in their real livesthus requiring the industry to over-romanticize everything.
My husband canŒt even sit thru a movie that portrays Marines, because itҒs so unreal for him. Imagine what police officers think of NYPD Blue!
Can we change things? Most likely notall we can do is educate. Most people know that TV and Film is a fictional dramatization of the real worldŅits just our job to remind them from time to time!
I, for one, am glad to see adoption out there in the main streamto me; itŒs a step in the right direction. As early as fifty years ago, adoption was so taboo that merely discussing it openly was shunned.
It may not be perfectbut at least weŒre getting better!
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"but when movies have a good solid G rating, should we expect a better understanding from film studios?"
Yes, definately, but we won't because its all about making money. A good example is "The Cat in the Hat", although that was rated PG. They took a wonderful short story by Dr. Seuss and inflated it with double entendres and adult situations to make it a 90 minute feature, way over the top for my kids who are 2 and 7 years old who love all of Dr. Seuss' books.
The Country Bears is another example and it had a ridiculous adoption theme - a bear adopted into a family of humans who didn't know he was adopted until his human brother informed him when he was a school age kid. Huh?
I don't know what we can do. I think Brandy said it best - educate. But I'll be honest, its getting tiring being on the soapbox all the time, lol.